11 Dogs Taken In Animal Hoarding Case

The AOSPCA is seeking homes for several dogs taken from a home in Harrison County back in February.

Robin McClelland with the AOSPCA said the woman had a total of 16 dogs and became overwhelmed trying to care for them.

The AOSPCA took 11 of the dogs to a boarding house in Dover, Ohio.

All of the dogs suffered from parasites and worms, some were emaciated and one dog had two broken bones, according to McClelland.

The woman is not facing charges because officials said she voluntarily surrendered the animals.

The other dogs were left in the owner's care. McClelland said she is under strict guidelines for how to care for them.

The AOSPCA is seeking financial help and looking for people who would like to adopt the dogs.

AOSPCA officials said their bill from the vets office for the dogs is around $6,000..." More & video

Puppies and dogs given up by hoarder looking for new lives in the Bay Area

By Jeanine Benca

PLEASANTON -- A horde of husky-mix dogs has been taken in by the Valley Humane Society after being removed Monday from a Sacramento-area home during the filming of a TV show about animal hoarding.

Valley Humane Society officials hope to find families for the 10 dogs, which range in age from 3 months to 4 years. The animals are being kept in the Valley Humane Society's new, not-yet-opened-to-the-public education and adoption center, said Steve Glavan, the shelter's executive director.

The TV show is Animal Planet's "Confessions: Animal Hoarding" program.

Show producers first contacted the Valley Humane Society last week.

"We wanted to work with a no-kill shelter with a strong reputation for animal care and placement and Valley Humane came highly recommended," Jereme Watt, producer for the Animal Planet program, said in a statement.

Though many of the situations depicted on the popular program involve pet hoarders who are adverse to parting with their animals, this case was different.

"This was neither a law enforcement nor an uninvited situation. It was very voluntary," Glavan said. "It was a situation where the individual himself had asked for assistance" finding homes for his pets..." More

More than 20 dogs seized from Chester Co. home

by KENNETH MOTON

WEST CALN TWP., Pa.-- In Chester County, the SPCA rushed to the scene of an alleged case of animal hoarding.

The raid took place Tuesday afternoon on the 400 block of South Bonsall Road in West Caln Township.

One by one, Yorkies, Chihuahuas and Dachshunds were brought out of the home.

Investigators say the homeowner, Wynne Byers, was hoarding 29 animals, 24 dogs and five cats.

"They're everything to me, I don't know why they're taking them away from me," Byers said.

As Animal Control Officers took them away, Byers kissed her pets goodbye.

She claims she's done nothing wrong, but the county's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says the dogs and cats are in bad shape.

SPCA officials say the pets were malnourished and were living in small cages surrounded by deplorable conditions..." More & video

Massive Clean Up Is No Cure For Hoarding

by PEGGY GIRSHMAN

If the popularity of the cable television show Hoarders is any indication, we have a fascination with hoarding.

"We all love a good train wreck," says Mark Odom, clinical consultant to the Orange County (Calif.) Task Force on Hoarding. And, he says, many people — including psychiatrists — think hoarders are obsessive-compulsive. It's even listed that way in the bible of psychiatric disorders, the DSM IV.

But this isn't necessarily true, according to several studies presented at the annual conference of the American Society on Aging, which wrapped up this weekend in San Francisco. Hoarders are more likely to be depressed, anxious or have social phobias than to have obsessive-compulsive disorder.

And the problem worsens with age.

University of California, San Francisco researcher Monika Eckfield studied 22 older adults and found that changes in their social environment created boredom and isolation. So, for some, shopping became a socially-appropriate way to interact with the world. And then, they didn't get rid of anything after they brought purchases home..." More

Animal abandoner pleads guilty to animal torture

By Britney Milazzo

ROCKPORT — A Lockport man who abandoned nearly two dozen cats at a 245 Park Ave., home in January pleaded guilty Wednesday to animal torture charges.

Kim A. Veach, 51, 59 Prospect St., upper, was charged earlier this year with endangering the welfare of a child, criminal mischief and several counts of torturing/injuring an animal. He was additionally charged with accumulation of rubbish, a sanitation violation and four counts of having a dog at large.

Veach pleaded guilty to the code violations in housing court in February and pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempted torturing of an animal and attempted criminal mischief.

John Faso of the Niagara County SPCA said 15 cats were seized from the home after the SPCA received a call from homeowner, Paul Trinkwalder, about cats that were abandoned in the property and one cat that scratched another person..." More

Advocates seek legislation after dog seizure

LONGVIEW,TX (KLTV)- The latest seizure of dogs at an East Texas puppy mill has animal welfare advocates calling for a state law to stop the problem.

Rescue workers are caring for nearly 200 dogs, who were found in terrible conditions at an alleged puppy mill on Joe Davis Road in Marion County on Tuesday. The dogs suffered from mange, tumors, and some even had their teeth filed down.

"This is the perfect case to support puppy mill legislation they have a tremendous number of animals out there in horrific conditions imaginable," says Longview attorney and animal welfare advocate Kelly Heitcamp..." More & video

Gary Belcher

Reporter: Randy Yohe; Hanna Francis

PRICHARD, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- One year after 90 malnourished dogs, horses and mules were taken from his home in Prichard, Gary Belcher is in trouble again.

According to Wayne County Prosecutor Tom Plymale, Belcher was charged with two misdemeanors Thursday after seven dogs were taken from his home. Belcher was charged with fourth-offense cruelty to animals and violating an order that he was not to have dogs on his property for five years.

Anita Asbury at the Huntington-Cabell-Wayne Animal Shelter told WSAZ.com the dogs were underweight, and many of them had skin conditions. One seemed to have a large tumor on its neck..." More & video

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11pm 4/29/11: More Animal Neglect Uncovered
5pm Friday 6/25/10: Latest News on Rescued Horses
6pm Tuesday 6/8/10: Pleading Guilty to Animal Cruelty
6pm Wednesday 6/2/10: Update on Rescued Horses
Starving Horses Rescued

UPDATE 6/25/10 @ 9 p.m.
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- One of the biggest animal rescues in West Virginia history happened last month when more than 50 starving and abused horses, donkeys and mules were seized from a Wayne County farm.

After weeks of intense trauma care, the local adoptions are now underway.

John Cundiff and his family of Point Pleasant say when they went to a adopt new family members Truman, Jet, and Princess, they didn't pick the horses -- the horses picked them.

The recovering trio was among 21 formerly starving horses -- now with new adoptive homes. The Simone family of Point Pleasant offered the Cundiffs a barn and decent pasture on their Old Town farmland.

John Cundiff is slowly feeding the horses a special nutritious blend of food. He says coming from a barren dry dirt pasture, some of the animals didn't know how to eat from a feeding bowl. And, he says if they took off the weight slowly, you have to put it back on slowly; otherwise they'll get sick..."

UPDATE 6/8/10 @ 1:25 p.m.
WAYNE, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- A Wayne County man pleaded guilty to three charges of animal cruelty.

Gary Belcher entered the plea Tuesday morning in Wayne County Magistrate Court.

Earlier this month, authorities seized nearly 50 emaciated horses, mules and donkeys, along with 42 neglected puppies and dogs from Belcher's farm in Prichard.

As part of the plea, Belcher agreed to give up all rights to those animals..."

UPDATE 6/2/10 @ 6:30 p.m.
MASON COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Food, water and care -- that’s what dozens of starving Wayne County horses, donkeys and mules are now enjoying after a Humane Society seizure last week.

Sheriff’s deputies say the owner will likely face more cruelty charges.

The big question we're getting is “How do I adopt?” That process should start in a few weeks.

The animals were removed from Gary Belcher's Wayne County farm last week. They’re slowly recovering at the Mason County Fairgrounds where the TLC highlights include hay, oats, water and simple, gentle kindness.

U.S. Humane Society rescuers say some of the 49 horses, donkeys and mules seized were very near death..."

UPDATE 06/01/10
PRICHARD, W.Va. (AP) -- A Prichard man has been charged with one count of animal cruelty over 51 emaciated horses, mules and donkeys found on his farm, along with 42 neglected puppies and dogs.

Wayne County Sheriff's Deputy Adam Baumgartner says more charges are likely.

Gary Belcher told television station WSAZ last week the horses were skinny when he got them, and he was trying to fatten them up.

But Baumgartner said Tuesday he's heard that claim several times over the years when he's investigated neighbors' complaints about starving animals..."

ORIGINAL STORY 05/27/10
PRICHARD, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- Hunger isn't normally something that can be seen, but when bones protrude it cannot be ignored.

The Humane Society of the United States participated in what officials are calling one of the largest animal seizes in the state of West Virginia Thursday morning, taking 40 to 50 horses from a man in Wayne County.

Gary Belcher is the owner of the horses, he says he did nothing wrong.

"They all eat good and I haven't had any problems with anything," Belcher said. He told WSAZ.com the horses were skinny when he got them. "Trying to fatten them up," Belcher said. "They've come a long way."

Neighbors said they do not believe that is the case. Joe Stanley lives nearby, he said he has been making calls on the state Belcher's animals for ten years.

"I've seen horses come in here as pretty as a picture and leave as skeletons," Kenneth Leslie told WSAZ.com. "I've watched backhoe after backhoe of them being burried.".>."

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